Vegetarian Nation

VEGGIE NEWS / NOVEMBER, 2008

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The latest breaking news that might be of interest to plant-based eating devotees.

Updated monthly, so don’t be a stranger.

Veggie Store

IN THE NEWS

Thinking Vegetarian?

A How-to guide on getting started…

More Families Turning to Vegetarian Meals

DID YOU KNOW…

CALCIUM AND VEGETARIANS

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body.

Calcium is vital for bones and teeth, muscle growth and contraction, and nerve transmission.

Only 20 to 30 percent of dietary calcium is absorbed by the body.

Milk and milk products provide over one-half of the calcium in the average American diet.

Vitamin D is necessary for normal absorption and use of calcium in the body.

Lactose and Vitamin D both increase calcium absorption.

Consuming enough calcium early in life allows you to establish a “calcium bank” in your bones, allowing them to remain strong. A diet that is deficient in calcium will tap into this calcium bank to meet its daily needs, weakening the bones and possibly leading to Osteoporosis later in life. This is more common in females because they have less bone mass to begin with.

Calcium is a mineral lost through perspiration. Athletes with diets deficient in calcium may be experiencing muscle cramps because of it.

A diet high in animal protein will make the urine more acidic, increasing urinary calcium loss, whereas a diet high in plant protein will make the urine more alkaline, decreasing urinary calcium loss.

Good vegetarian sources of calcium include:

· Almonds

· Beans

· Green leafy vegetables like broccoli, kale, and collards,

· Lime processed tortillas

· Fortified foods like soy milk

VEGETARIANS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD OF…

Brigitte Bardot

Ed Begley Jr.

Mary Tyler Moore

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH

Doris Day Animal League

http://www.ddal.org/

COMING ATTRACTIONS

An activist’s page to show you simple things that you can do to benefit our planet, our environment, and the non-human animals that we share them with.

A ‘How to get started” page for any newbies that want to explore a vegetarian diet and lifestyle.

Thanks for stopping in. See you next month.